
If you have an old building or home then you need to restore your house with adequate support and repairs. It is difficult to provide extra support to your concrete foundations and you can choose underpinning process. Underpinning is a type or repairing that can provide additional structural support to your foundations. For example, you can find some flaks or cracks on your entire foundation and you need to build some substructures or superstructures to provide the required support to your existing foundation. Therefore, you can go for the underpinning foundation process and you can provide support to your established structure.
How would you decide the underpinning process for your existing structure?
There are various seps that you need to follow for the underpinning foundation. You need to choose the right process according to the nature of your foundation. For example, you can provide support to the antique foundations or structures which are 150 years old. Similarly, you can find such supports to your new structures which are less than 50 years old. So, it is better to hire an expert to inspect your established structures. They will check the strength of your structure and find out the damages. After this initial inspection, they can suggest you the best underpinning process.
Things to know about underpinning foundations:
- Installation: You cannot install an underpinning foundation around your existing structures which are not strong. You need to dig the ground around your existing structure, and you have to test the soil before you install underpinning foundation. Soil needs to resist the natural calamities and you cannot install such foundations on soft ground.
- Structure: There are some structures available such as antique buildings where you cannot demolish any part of your existing structure and you need to work on your established structure to provide adequate support. In this case, underpinning foundation is an excellent way to repair your existing structure.
- Wooden structures: You may have to deal with some structures which have wooden footings, and you need to repair such wooden poles with concrete materials. Wooden structures installed at the underneath levels can get affected by moisture and water, and it will be a difficult task to restore them into their new look. In this case, you can install similar underpinning structures at their underneath level and provide support to your building.
- Electrical and plumbing system: Underpinning is mostly needed to the antique homes, where you can provide support and repair your existing home with some additional poles and structures. In this case, you need to change the electrical and plumbing system, and you have to remove your old plumbing, sewage and electrical system before you install any underpinning foundation. After you install the foundation successfully, you can install the new plumbing and electrical system. You can build a fresh concrete floor on your existing structure and you can save the energy and keep your building protected from massive damages in future.
- Repair: Youcan build some structures at the underground level through this underpinning process, which is an effective way to restore the old buildings. You do not need to demolish your old building and build a new one, and you can simply repair your old building with some additional foundations.
You cannot install underpinning foundations with your DIY tools, and you need to hire trained professionals. You can search some contractors online which are specialized in underpinning process and they can assist you to provide additional support to your old building. Sometimes, you can find some problems in your newly constructed foundations and you cannot demolish your new foundations due to some small cracks. In this case, you can go for underpinning process.